Russia pushes back against reports that plague researcher died after test tube broke

Russia has pushed back against reports regarding the death of a lab worker at a research institute focused on the plague, a bacterial infection historically associated with medieval pandemics such as the Black Death.

The incident drew international attention when U.S. President Donald Trump publicly referred to the situation as "a big problem for Russia."

Details surrounding the exact cause of death and the circumstances of the reported broken test tube remain limited as Russian authorities contest the circulating reports.